


as much as we can, with whatever we have

by lovebeyondmeasure



Category: Cormoran Strike Series - Robert Galbraith
Genre: Arguing, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Just World Fallacy, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-18
Updated: 2018-08-18
Packaged: 2019-06-29 01:17:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15718935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovebeyondmeasure/pseuds/lovebeyondmeasure
Summary: She was passionate, and she wasn’t wrong. It wasn’t right, or fair.But the world’s not either of those two things, and she ought to learn that already,Cormoran thought.





	as much as we can, with whatever we have

**Author's Note:**

> This was a scene that fell into my head, fully-formed, and wouldn't leave. There's no more of it, before or after. There's just this.
> 
> I hope you enjoy it.

“Oh, you can go ahead and archive that file, Robin,” Cormoran said, almost as an afterthought. “The client’s decided to settle out of court.”

“Really?” she asked. “So what’s going to be done with the stuff that we have so far?”

“They might use it as leverage, they might not,” he said. “Either way, our part in it is done, so archive the files and prepare the final bill tonight or tomorrow.”

“What, that’s it? Aren’t they going to, I don’t know, press charges on the guy or something?”

Cormoran couldn’t see what was so confusing about this. “No, I’ve just said, they’re settling out of court.”

“But he-” she said, trying to order her disarrayed thoughts. “They have proof! Not complete proof, sure, but it’s pretty damning evidence, they can’t just leave it there! Can they?”

“They can, because it’s not actually germane to the case,” Cormoran said. “Look, I know it’s not ideal, but it’s not our case to bring. The client is satisfied, and the… victim never filed anything against him. So we’re done.”

“Just like that! But he’s guilty!”

Cormoran knew that he was being the bad guy, and knew somewhere inside that if he’d presented his younger self with the facts of this case, he would have been on Robin’s side. Nevertheless, this was how things worked. It was hard, and unfair, but that’s how things were sometimes. You had to learn to live with that, or you’d go mad. Especially in their line of work.

“I’m sorry, Robin,” he said. “I know this is upsetting for you. But our part in this is over, and we need to prepare for our next case.”

“You’re not serious,” she said, and Cormoran knew that he was getting tense, but they’d had this argument before, and he was tired of it.

“What else do you suggest we do, then?” he asked acerbically. “We can’t file against him, seeing as we’re not the injured party.”

“Of course not, I know that! It’s just that- he’s-” Robin’s face was turning blotchily pink, and he could tell she was trying very hard to not become overly emotional. “He’s a monster, and we have the sort of proof that matters, the sort that holds up in court. And to just let it  _ go,  _ as though this were some petty theft or- or a carjacking, it’s not- it’s not  _ right.”  _

She was passionate, and she wasn’t wrong. It wasn’t right, or fair.  _ But the world’s not either of those two things, and she ought to learn that already, _ Cormoran thought. 

“I know this is a… personal topic for you,” he started, but it was the wrong thing to say; she reacted like a switch had been flipped in her.

“You think that’s what this is about?”

“It can hardly  _ not  _ be about-”

“Of course it’s- it's influenced by that, but it’s not about me!” Robin’s fists were clenched tight at her sides. “It’s about knowing, knowing what’s it’s like! All the pain, and the shame, and wanting everyone to know while at the same time wishing you could just-” 

She caught her breath, eyes flashing. “That girl deserves so much more than she’s been given, and we have the tools to help her.”

“And what if she doesn’t want our help?”

“Then she says no! But at least she’ll know that someone cares, and someone believes her. At least we’ll have  _ tried.”  _

Cormoran was getting tired of what felt to him like going in circles. “And just how do you propose we do that? Call her up, say, oh hello, I happen to know many details of what was in all probability the worst day-”

“Well we obviously won't be doing that,” she said, mouth pursed tight at his admittedly strawman argument. “But we have to do something with what we have. We could call up one of the detectives we know, ask them to look into it, we could-”

“We can’t do it that way, Robin!” he thundered, his frustration a pot about to boil over.

“And why not!” she shot back, sharp and just as angry.

“Because-” Cormoran struggled to put words to it. It was so clear to him, the way the world worked, and it wasn’t like that; that was all, dammit! That’s not how things work! “Because that’s not how things are done, alright? It’s not fair, sure, but  _ life’s not fair!”   _

“Of course it bloody isn’t!” she cried, surprising him. Wasn’t that the crux of the matter at hand? 

“Of course life isn’t fair,” Robin said, pushing back her hair. “You think I don’t bloody well know life isn’t fair? You think I’m not- I’m not  _ aware  _ of that little fact? Fuck off, Cormoran, I know it isn’t!”

“Then what-” he was bewildered as much by her swearing as by the apparent shift in topic. He’d thought he'd known what they were arguing about.

“Life’s not fair, or kind, or full of justice,” she said, firm and harsh and so, so sure of her words. “That’s why we have to be, don’t you see? The universe isn’t going to make things right. That’s our job.”

Cormoran flexed his fingers, feeling one or two knuckles pop. “That’s the police’s job,” he said. “Not ours, we’re private citizens, it’s not our place to-”

“You and I both know the police won’t help her,” Robin said. “Don’t lie to me, Cormoran. Not like that. Not to my face.”

He nearly bit his tongue with how fast his mouth snapped shut.

“It’s not our job to serve up his justice, because there might not be any,” she said, and now she sounded tired, all the wind out from her sails. “But we have to- we have to help her, Cormoran. As much as we can. With whatever we have. Isn’t that the point?”

He opened his mouth, closed it again. The point was to pay the bills, he wanted to say. But in his heart, buried deep under his exhaustion and debts, there was a tuning fork that rang true, and the word it sang was  _ justice.  _ Even now. 

“If not us, Cormoran,” Robin said into his silence, “who?”

He shook his head. “I’ll put the files we have in order to give to the police,” he said. 

“You will?” she said, surprised. Cormoran felt slightly offended at how surprised, actually. He had the ability to admit he was wrong, as much as anyone else. He turned to go back into his office. He needed a smoke. 

“Cormoran,” she said, and there was something in the way she said his name. There almost always was. 

He turned back around, his hand on the door handle.

“Yeah?”

She bit her lip and looked down. “Keep copies of everything,” she said. “Just- you know, just in case.”

His lips quirked, not even enough to be half a smile. She really was a damn sight more clever than nearly anyone else he’d worked with.

“Course I will,” he said. She nodded.

He turned again to leave, only to once more hear, “Cormoran?”

This time she held his gaze.

“Thank you,” she said softly. 

“You argue a good case,” he said. “You’d make a helluva lawyer.”

“Oh,” she said. “I- thanks.”

Cormoran went into his office, closing the door behind him. He dug out his battered pack of smokes, lighting one and exhaling out the cracked-open window, eyes closed. The tepid breeze washed over his face, carrying the myriad smells of London up and away.

“If not us,” he whispered.

Even in the midst of her anger, she’d said  _ us.  _ He took another deep inhalation. 

Out at her desk, Robin looked down at her shaking hands. She’d been so icily calm during her shouting match with Strike, but now in the silence, she was falling apart.

She hadn’t thought he’d listen. She’d hoped he would, of course. But their track record wasn’t in her favor, and despite his knack for interviewing, he was not the world’s greatest listener. But he’d heard her. 

She clenched his hands tight into fists. The girl’s face swam before her eyes, so young. So terribly young. As young as Robin had been-

She could smell Strike’s cigarette smoke, just a hint on the breeze. He must be smoking out the window again. She had the faintest wisp of jealousy; she wished that she too had a habit to steady her nerves.

_ Focus, Robin,  _ she instructed herself.  _ If you’re going to do this, you have to do it properly. No cracks, no leaks. Right and tight, the first time. For her sake. _

With her mind fixed firmly on that goal, Robin opened the half-finished case report, and began to type. 


End file.
